For the Very First Time, All Three Versions To Be Released On DVD and High Definition Blu-rayTM Multi-Disc Sets November 13th

Culver City, Calif. (July 26, 2007) – Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed classic, will be released on Blu-ray Disc and standard DVD in multi-disc sets as Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30thAnniversary Ultimate Edition on November 13th by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of this motion picture, which Gene Shalit called “one of the most spectacular movies ever made,” the set incorporates all three versions of the film, including the first-ever home video release of the 1977 Original Theatrical edition, as well as the re-edited 1980 theatrical Special Edition and Spielberg’s definitive Director’s Cut (released in 1998 as the Collector’s Edition). Bonus material on the 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition includes a never-before-seen interview with Spielberg created specifically for this release, a retrospective documentary and more. The stunning high definition presentation of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition contains all three cinematic versions on just one 50 GB Blu-ray Disc, with bonus material included on a second disc, and is made possible by new breakthroughs in home entertainment technology. This marks the first classic Spielberg film ever to be released on a pre-recorded high definition disc format. A legendary film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind was nominated for eight Academy Awards.* Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws) has the starring role of electrical lineman Roy Neary, as he sets out to investigate a mysterious power outage and experiences a life-changing “close encounter.” The Original Theatrical version of Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released on screens in 1977 and was never available on home video. Spielberg released a re-edited Special Edition theatrically and on VHS in 1980 wherein he deleted several smaller scenes and added other sequences including scenes of Dreyfuss inside the alien mother ship at the end of the film. In 1998, the Collector’s Edition was released on home video with a limited theatrical run and featured Spielberg’s definitive director’s cut with changes, some small and subtle, as well as a change eliminating the interior mother ship scenes from the end of the Special Edition, thus restoring the original ending. The Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30thAnniversary Ultimate Edition is the first collection to include all three versions of the film.

The Blu-ray release provides for all three versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind to be included on one 50GB disc through a process known as “seamless branching,” made possible with the added interactivity of Blu-ray’s software and the robust processing power of the second generation players. This process identifies the differences between each version of the film and segments the footage accordingly. These segments are then encoded and assembled into three unique playlists, thus allowing footage used in all three films to be included on the Blu-ray disc only once. Based on the viewer’s selection of the Original Version, Special Edition or definitive Director’s Cut, each film will be presented seamlessly in its original form by use of its respective playlist. Both the Blu-ray and the DVD of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30thAnniversary Ultimate Edition are packed with bonus features, including an exclusive interview with Spielberg and a Close Encounters of the Third Kind Retrospective Documentary. Available only with the Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30thAnniversary Ultimate Edition high definition Blu-ray Disc, are additional bonus features including all-new “Storyboard-to-Scene Comparisons,” the original 1977 “Watch The Skies” featurette and an original theatrical preview.

*Best Director, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Effects - Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Music - Original Score, Best Sound, 1978

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30thAnniversary Ultimate Edition will be available November 13, 2007 – nearly 30 years to the day after its original theatrical release – on Blu-ray Disc for $49.95 or DVD for $39.95.

Synopsis: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Electrical lineman Roy Neary (Dreyfuss) is one of several people who experience a close encounter of the first kind, witnessing UFOs flying through the night sky. He is subsequently haunted by a mountain-like image and becomes obsessed with discovering what it represents, much to the dismay of his family. Meanwhile, government agents around the world have close encounters of the second kind, discovering physical evidence of extraterrestrial visitors in the form of lost fighter aircraft from World War II and a stranded military ship that disappeared decades earlier, only to suddenly reappear in the Sonora and Gobi Desert. Roy and the agents then follow the clues they have been given to reach a site where they will have a close encounter of the third kind: contact.

Blu-ray Disc Bonus Features Include: All New Interview with Steven Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind All New “Storyboard to Scene Comparisons” Close Encounters of the Third Kind Retrospective Documentary The Original 1977 “Watch the Skies” Featurette Original Theatrical Preview

DVD Bonus Features Include: All New Interview with Steven Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind “Making Of Close Encounters of the Third Kind” Retrospective Documentary

Close Encounters of the Third Kind was written and directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips. It stars Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws), Teri Garr (Tootsie), Melina Dillon (Absence of Malice) and François Truffaut (Day For Night). Feature run times are approximately 135 minutes for the Original Version, 132 minutes for the Special Edition and 137 minutes for the Collector’s Edition. It is rated PG for intense sci-fi action, mild language and thematic elements.

Yep, I very much considering taking the plunge on a PS3 while the 60gb price reduced model is still available. Too many great releases coming out for BD that I don't want to have to buy over again when I do go Hi-Def

Finally, the original 1977 THEATRICAL cut which is the only version I'm interested in. Pity it isn't being released separately from the other two or at least in their separate keepcases so I could sell them off.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure you will) but contrary to the press release, wasn't the 1977 original theatrical available previously on a Criterion laser disc?

The Criterion LD was essentially the 1977 version, except for some minor alterations, I think: the "shadow flyover" from the SE was inserted in place of the "dot-across-the-sky" shot, Roy's truck going through the tunnel was shortened, a bit of the Days of Our Lives scene was taken out, and the shot of Roy, Jillian, and Larry escaping from the chopper was removed. Not a whole lot, but enough to qualify as changes.

This is great; I've been saying for a long time that they needed to release a DVD with all three versions. Strange that some of the features from the original DVD are only going to be available on the Blu-Ray this time. Oh, well.

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If anyone has a question about the transfer used on this upcoming release, I can provide some clarification.

Sony has made all new HD transfers of all three versions from restored film elements. The transfer was supervised and talent approved. This has been in the works for months and a lot of time was spent to make this a spectacular DVD and BR release.

Good to hear, Ron. Sony's been doing a great job on their more recent BDs and I have no doubt this will be a spectacular release. I hope all studios consider releasing more of these kind of titles sooner than later.

Very exciting. I hope they do the original theaterical cut RIGHT, not with the slight alterations Criterion did at Spielberg's request... including the "globe rolling down the hall" bit that few seem to remember.

Ron, I am NOT starting a BD/HD-DVD debate, but I have already decided to support Blue-Ray when I get a player. However, like you, this would have been the title that pushed me over the edge. In fact, it will make me accelerate my planned purchase of a Blue-Ray player. I will have to have one by the time this set is released.

I mean the scene where he's inside the ship and you can see this sort of energy being emitted by the ship and hitting him, and he's starting to be turned into some sort of human-alien combination. You're saying this scene is included in the movie itself (not as a deleted scene) in the Special Edition cut, which will be included in this new DVD set?

Yes, the inside the spaceship scene will be in the 1980 Special Edition version of the film. However, there was never anything shown in the film where Roy was actually starting to be turned into an alien.

Personally, I don't subscibe to the Special Edition "Roy was turned into an Alien" theory. And since that scene was filmed and put into the 1980 SE only because Columbia demanded it in exchange for money for Spielberg to do reshoots and re-edit the film, I would have a hard time believeing that was his intention.

Oh dear I see the "Neary is the smiling alien at the end" rumour is still circulating. A few years ago someone came up with the idea that when Neary goes into the mothership the light hits him and he changes into an alien and he comes back out smiles and waves goodbye. It's all too silly IMO. I'm sure someone associated with the film would have said something over the years or had pointed it out on the humungous documentary in the dvd.

As far as I'm concerned, all the crap that happens inside the ship in the SE version doesn't exist as part of the CE3K "canon". Spiely shot it to allow him to film the other scenes. He didn't wanna do it and clearly doesn't care for it. I think any attempts to factor those scenes into the overall picture are far-fetched and pointless - those scenes shouldn't exist...

I didn't mean to say that anything is shown of him being transformed, I just assumed that was the case, what with all the lights on the ship and him breathing heavily as those something very strange was happening to him at that moment.

You mean that isn't him as a human-alien combo at the end? It seemed logical, although kind of creepy. You see the little aliens, then the really tall one, then this middle sized one shows up right at the end. Seemed to make sense it was Dreyfuss, especially after seeing him inside the ship with those lights and such. Did these documentaries ever say it wasn't him? You'd think with that theory floating around they would have commented on it. Certainly on this upcoming new DVD set Spielberg should say once and for all if Dreyfuss was transformed into a human-alien combo or if he was just waiting, still fully human and unaltered, inside the alien ship for it to blast off while this one last alien of medium size said goodbye to the men on the ground outside the ship. I would like to hear a definitive answer on the subject.

Yikes...I saw the Special Edition probably a hundred times growing up, and any "Roy turning into an alien" hypothesis never, EVER occurred to me. The little guy coming out and saying goodbye to Lacombe and his team was always in the movie, and is indeed the heart of its story. When Columbia requested a look inside the ship, Spielberg edited that footage in there in a way that would still leave that smaller moment as the true finale of the film, because as intense as Roy's journey was, the story was really about the peaceful and optimistic nature of both the humans and the visitors.

So, aside from just being creepy, to have that little alien be Ray just doesn't make any sense. Ray gets in the ship, we follow him for a couple of extra minutes, and then the film continues on to its true end outside.

Why would it be logical? When did the movie ever give us the idea the aliens would transform people into their own kind? They had all those folks who'd been with them for decades - THEY stayed human. Why would they mutate Roy but no one else?

I don't see anything logical about it. I DO see lots of fans stretching to find meaning where none exists. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, y'know!